---
title: Articles of interest from the week of May 18, 2020
description: Verizon Finds Increases in Financially Motivated Data Breaches. Read this and cybersecurity-related articles from the week of 5/18/20
---

[Network Security News | Ingalls Information Security ](https://resources.iinfosec.com/network-security-news)

# [Articles of interest from the week of May 18, 2020](https://resources.iinfosec.com/network-security-news/2020-05-18)

 Written by [John Frasier](https://resources.iinfosec.com/network-security-news/author/john-frasier) | May 18, 2020 4:00:00 AM

#### [Verizon Finds Increases in Financially Motivated Data Breaches  and Attacks on Web Applications](https://www.techrepublic.com/article/verizon-report-finds-increases-in-financially-motivated-breaches-and-attacks-on-web-applications/)

The latest Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) from Verizon Business highlighted a number of alarming statistics about the data breach landscape and the actors behind attacks, finding two-fold increases in web application breaches as well as growth in the number of data breaches conducted for financial gain. (By  Jonathan Greig, [TechRepublic](https://www.techrepublic.com/)) Ingalls: Every business needs a plan to deal with emergencies, and we have a blog that covers [how to build a cybersecurity incident response plan](https://resources.iinfosec.com/develop-and-test-an-incident-response-plan).

#### [Ragnar Locker Ransomware Deploys Virtual Machine to Dodge Security](https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/05/21/ragnar-locker-ransomware-deploys-virtual-machine-to-dodge-security/?cmp=30728)

A new ransomware attack method takes defense evasion to a new level—deploying as a full virtual machine on each targeted device to hide the ransomware from view. In a recently detected attack, Ragnar Locker ransomware was deployed inside an Oracle VirtualBox Windows XP virtual machine. The attack payload was a 122 MB installer with a 282 MB virtual image inside—all to conceal a 49 kB ransomware executable. (By Mark Loman, [Sophos News](https://news.sophos.com/en-us/)) Ingalls: Our [Managed Detection And Response (MDR) service](https://resources.iinfosec.com/managed-detection-and-response-mdr-whats-it-all-about) is the perfect solution to issues like this. Our MDR service delivers threat monitoring, detection and response leveraging a combination of technologies, advanced analytics, threat intelligence, and human expertise in incident investigation and response.

#### [Hacked Law Firm May Have Had Unpatched Pulse Secure VPN](https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/hacked-law-firm-may-have-had-unpatched-pulse-secure-vpn-a-14315)

A recent ransomware attack that targeted a law firm that serves celebrities may have been facilitated by a Pulse Secure VPN server that was not properly patched and mitigated against a well-known vulnerability, some security experts say. (By Scott Ferguson, [BankInfoSecurity](https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/)) *Ingalls: Check out our blog post that discusses the importance of patch management, and the benefits of a mature [Vulnerability Lifecycle Management program](https://resources.iinfosec.com/vulnerability-lifecycle-management). If you ever have to deal with a ransomware attack, we have another blog that offers some insight when thinking through the [Ransomware payment question](https://resources.iinfosec.com/ransomware-to-pay-or-not-to-pay).  
*

#### [The Need for Compliance in a Post-COVID-19 World](https://www.darkreading.com/risk/the-need-for-compliance-in-a-post-covid-19-world/a/d-id/1337840)

With the current upheaval, business leaders may lose focus and push off implementing security measures, managing risk, and keeping up with compliance requirements. That's a big mistake! (By Baan Alsinawi, [Dark Reading](https://www.darkreading.com/)) Ingalls: We understand what the risk is, and we are highly-skilled in developing the security controls necessary to manage the [risk compliance](https://iinfosec.com/governance-risk-compliance/) at the level determined as acceptable. We demonstrate compliance with the regulatory laws and meet all corporate compliance requirements such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, GLBA, Sarbanes-Oxley and many others. 

#### [Microsoft: Beware This Massive Phishing Campaign Using Malicious Excel Macros to Hack PCs](https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-beware-this-massive-phishing-campaign-using-malicious-excel-macros-to-hack-pcs/)

Microsoft's Security Intelligence team has warned that it has been tracking a "massive" phishing campaign that attempts to install a remote access tool onto PCs by tricking users into opening email attachments containing malicious Excel 4.0 macros. (By Steve Ranger, [ZDNet](https://www.zdnet.com/))* Ingalls: Phishing is one of the most widely used cyber-attack vectors. Even the most trained and sophisticated users can get tricked into divulging their credentials or clicking on attachments containing malicious Excel 4.0 macros. [Click here for a ](https://info.iinfosec.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=bdfd73ce-18de-41f0-9136-756185a4a0f4&placement_guid=f5192f02-f039-4f3c-9d41-0b6327c3d004&portal_id=3957749&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.iinfosec.com%2Fkeep-your-network-secure-while-working-remotely-during-covid-19&redirect_url=APefjpHZWQp5CKOT3f8rRKQlkRELfQ_fRTi78YWvJ9uhBH_EFChbvXos1R7Ga-9ZifyQv_4n9VPRCkf5N-OnFtDmMLcLy4ZU7WraSMGdn6vHEr_VkJIRvt7SNYDTCajQMoUAVjFvnsnccA5MZ6Dedo1YL2XBTi_thfh9VoJ0beCv0CioeYyTPoNYAiUl5rG-gKfZ0w4CN05i8Av_nP4Mr-Acmbrzd3MHjYGIP4kEeVH1r32MVldwMzA9cTTj384dYNKfMV7FsyUGk0-NS0b2obs2SbCaifJsDZyaTBH_8B7OMhX0wJs442Q8BSkO-kpnK58J134otzMTI-3Gdl5P24PLBdugdIIcKQ&click=8b81e9b8-851c-4094-a545-caab70723992&hsutk=380ed29b718612639432691ab3218ac4&signature=AAH58kGy1XHNWqemqrjvHnm_cWqO0F_HNQ&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.iinfosec.com%2F&pageId=27240622727&__hstc=168407038.380ed29b718612639432691ab3218ac4.1569525671721.1584631381106.1584634616787.187&__hssc=168407038.8.1584634616787&__hsfp=699954039&contentType=blog-post)[detailed Social Engineering Red Flags PDF ](https://info.iinfosec.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=bdfd73ce-18de-41f0-9136-756185a4a0f4&placement_guid=f5192f02-f039-4f3c-9d41-0b6327c3d004&portal_id=3957749&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.iinfosec.com%2Fkeep-your-network-secure-while-working-remotely-during-covid-19&redirect_url=APefjpHZWQp5CKOT3f8rRKQlkRELfQ_fRTi78YWvJ9uhBH_EFChbvXos1R7Ga-9ZifyQv_4n9VPRCkf5N-OnFtDmMLcLy4ZU7WraSMGdn6vHEr_VkJIRvt7SNYDTCajQMoUAVjFvnsnccA5MZ6Dedo1YL2XBTi_thfh9VoJ0beCv0CioeYyTPoNYAiUl5rG-gKfZ0w4CN05i8Av_nP4Mr-Acmbrzd3MHjYGIP4kEeVH1r32MVldwMzA9cTTj384dYNKfMV7FsyUGk0-NS0b2obs2SbCaifJsDZyaTBH_8B7OMhX0wJs442Q8BSkO-kpnK58J134otzMTI-3Gdl5P24PLBdugdIIcKQ&click=8b81e9b8-851c-4094-a545-caab70723992&hsutk=380ed29b718612639432691ab3218ac4&signature=AAH58kGy1XHNWqemqrjvHnm_cWqO0F_HNQ&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.iinfosec.com%2F&pageId=27240622727&__hstc=168407038.380ed29b718612639432691ab3218ac4.1569525671721.1584631381106.1584634616787.187&__hssc=168407038.8.1584634616787&__hsfp=699954039&contentType=blog-post)courtesy of KnowBe4.*

[View full post](https://resources.iinfosec.com/network-security-news/2020-05-18)

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